Time-clock.



W. .LBANISH d: J. C. SWARTHOUT.

TIME CLOCK. f

APPLIQATION FILED MAR. 1, 1911.y

Patented Got. 29, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J'. BANISH AND JACOB C. SWARTHOUT, OF VALLEY CITY, NORTH DAKOTA.

TIME-CLOCK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM J. BANisH and JACOB C. SwAn'ri-ronr,citizens of the United States, residing at Valley City, in the count-yof Barnes and State of North Dakota, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Time-Clocks, of which the following is a speciication.

The invention relates to alarm clocks, and more particularly to theclass of alarm controlling mechanism for time clocks.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of mechanism ofthis character in which an alarm in a clock may be automatically soundedat a predetermined period of time either every twelve or twenty-fourhours, so that should it be desired to sound the alarm every twenty-fourhours, there will be no possibility of sounding the alarm at the samedetermined time within twelve hours space thereof, thus the alarm issusceptible of being sounded at any predetermined hour periodically atthe lapse of twelve or twenty-four hours, but will not sound at a lessspace of time unless the mechanism is manually set for this time.

Another objectof the invention is the provision of an alarm controllingmechanism which may he set within a space of time approximate thedetermined hour at which the alarm is to be sounded, without causing thesounding of the latter at the time of setting such mechanism.

A further object of the invention is the provision of mechanism of thischaracter which is simple of construction, readily and easily mounted onalarm clocks of any wellknown construction, and which is thoroughlyreliable and eiiicient in operation, and inexpensive in manufacture.

In the drawings, accompanying and forming a part of this specificationisillustrated the preferred form of embodiment of the invention, which toenable those skilled in the art to carry the invention into practice,will be set forth at length in the following detail description, whilethe novelty of the invention will be pointed out in the claims hereuntoappended.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of an alarm clock of theordinary well-known construction, showing the invention applied thereto.Fig. 2 is a rear elevation. Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing the casingin horizontal section. Fig. 4C is a fragmentary vertical sectional viewthrough Spcification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 1, 1911.

Patented Oct. 29, 1912.

Serial No. 611,569.

the casing showing the mechanism in side elevation. Fig. 5 is afragmentary top plan view of the alarm mechanism when 1n one position.Fig. 6 is a similar View showing the mechanism in another position. Fig.7 1s a similar view showing the mechanism in still another position.Fig. 8 is an edge view of the trip catch and its adjunct parts.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Referring tothe drawings by numerals, 10 designates generally the casingof the clock which is of the ordinary well-known construction and shape,and in which is suitably mounted the works or clock movement supportingframe 11, supporting at its front a dial 12, on which are numericallyarranged figures ranging from 1 to 12, designating the individual hourratio, covering a lapse of twelve consecutive hours of time, the dialbeing further marked to indicate fractions less than an hour in theordinary well-known manner. Journaled centrally in the frame 11 andprojecting centrally through the dial 12 is an arbor 13, which isadapted to turn every hour, and to which is fixed a minute hand 14.Surrounding the arbor 13 is a sleeve 15, to which is fixed the hour hand16, the said arbor 13 and sleeve 15 being rotated by means of a train ofclock gears 17, which are controlled through the medium of a main spring(not shown), the train of gears being arranged in a manner as iscustomary in the usual time clocks.

Mounted upon the casing is a gong or bell 18, the same being supportedby a staff or standard 19, rising from the said casing and suitablyfixed thereto. The casing is provided with a suitable slot, throughwhich passes t-he vibratory striker arm 20 having a ball clapper 21 atone end thereof, the arm being fixed intermediate its length to anoscillatory spindle Q2, the same being journaled in the frame 11 andcarrying the usual anchor 23 operated upon by means of a ratchet wheelQ4 fixed to a spindle 25 journaled in the said movement frame 11. Alsofixed to this spindle 25 is a pinion 26 meshing with the gear QTsupported upon a winding shaft 2S journaled in the frame 11, and towhich is connected the main spring 29 of the alarm movement mechanism.

Provided on the clock dial 12 is an alarm setting dial 30 which` isdivided off into equal portions or divisions, each division beingregularly spaced and designated by numerals ranging from 1 to 12 toindicate the hours of the day, or night. Also this dial 30 has furthersub-divisions indicating fractions of each hour.

Journaled in the frame 11 is an alarm sett-'ing arbor or shaft 31, thesame being projected centrally through the dial 30 and has fixed theretoa pointer 32, the latter being adapted to traverse the divisions andsubdivisions upon the dial 30 for the setting of the alarm, whereby thesame may be sounded in a manner, as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed.

Loosely mounted upon the shaft 31 is the hub 33 of a gear 34, the samebeing intermeshed with the train of gears 17 of the clock movement, oneend of the hub 33 being formed with a cam 35 engaging a pin 3G fixed inthe shaft 31 and projecting outwardly therefrom at right angles thereto.The opposite end of the hub 33 is frictionally engaged with a bowed leafspring 37 having one end fixed to the frame 11, while its opposite endis inturned to provide a tongue 38, the same being formed withprojecting teeth 39 and 40, respectively, for coperation with the A. M.and 1). M. alarm controlling mechanism, as will be hereinafter morefully described.

Integral with or mounted upon the front wall of the frame 11 andprojecting therefrom in a horizontal plane or at right angles thereto,is a bearing 41 having connected thereto, by means of a pivot 42, aswinging trip catch or pawl 43, the latter being provided with anelongated nose 44 adapted to be projected into and out of the path ofmovement of the free end of the vibratory striker arm 20, the trip catchor pawl 43 being limited in its movement by means of stop pins 45 fixedin and rising from the bearing 41 in spaced relation to each other.

Fixed to the pivot 42 and acting upon the trip catch or pawl 43 is aspring member 46 the latter being designed to frictionally hold the saidcatch or pawl 43 to prevent free movement thereof and to maintain it inadjusted position as will be herein after more fully described.

Rotatably journaled in suitable bearings in the frame 11 of the clockmovement, is an adjusting shaft 47, the same being formed at one endwith a crank 48, the latter loosely connected to a link or throw rod 49which is provided with an offset extremity 50, containing an elongatedslot 51, in which is engaged a lug 52 mounted upon a dog 53, the samebeing connected to vthe catch or pawl 43 by means of a pivot 54 which isengaged with the dog 53 medially thereof. This dog 53 is provided with alaterally curved lip 55 adapted for engagement with the teeth 39 and 40on the spring 37, Whereby the latter will be locked with the trip catchor pawl 43 when the said spring has -been moved inwardly on the turningof the gear 34, the spring 37 being displaced by the cam 35 of the hubof the gear, when working against the pin 36 upon the setting arbor orshaft 31, as the said hub 33 rotates with the gear 34 operated by thetrain of gears 17 of the clock moveulent. In link or throw rod 49,rearwardly of the offset 50, is provided with a further slot 56, inwhich is engaged a lug 57, the latter being fixed in t-he trip catch orpawl 43, the said lug being disposed at one end of the slot 56 in therod 49 when the dog 53 is in position for engagement with the teeth 39and 40 on the spring 37. Fixed to the trip catch or pawl 43 is a spring58, the free end of which is adapted to act upon the dog 53, so thatwhen the latter is in position for engagement with the spring 37, thelug 52 on the dog will rest against the inner end of the slot 51 in thethrow rod 49, thereby permitting the dog 53 to trip over the teeth 39and 40 on the spring 37 when the same is being moved in one direction,so that the said dog by the action of the spring 58 will automaticallybecome locked with the spring, for a purpose as will be hereinafter morefully described.

The adjusting shaft 47 at its outer end is provided with a crank 59serving as a handle for regulating the alarm controlling mechanism. Thehand crank 59 is protruded through an arcuate-shaped slot 60 formed inthe back of the casing 10 which has marked thereon contiguous to one endof the said slot 60 the letters 14. M. while at the po-int intermediatethe ends of the said slot are marked the letters P. M."`, and also atthe opposite end of the slot is marked the word OIT Pivoted to the backof the casing 10 at the end of the' slot marked Off is a catch 61 whichcan be manually thrown into engagement with the crank 59 for holding itin position at Off and in this manner the alarm mechanism can besustained inactive, thus, preventing the sounding of the alarm duringthe working of the clock.

The manner of operation of the alarm controlling mechanism is asfollows: Should it be desired to set the said mechanism so that thealarm will sound at a predetermined hour a. in., it is only necessaryfor a person to rotate the setting shaft 31 in the ordinary well knownmanner, whereby the pointer 32 will indicate such designated hour on theface of the dial 3() and thereafter the adjusting shaft 47 is shifted bythe crank handle 59 it being understood that the latter has beenreleased by the catch 61 so that it can be thrown in the slot 60 at a.m., thus, the throw rod 49 will be simultaneously moved with the shaft47 causing the nose 44 of the catch or pawl 43 to be thrown into thepath of movement of the striker arm Q0, thereby holding the same passiveunt-il the said pawl 43 is retracted by the tooth tongue 38 on thedisplacement of the spring 37 in a manner presently described.

The spring 37 is moved inwardly on the turning of the shaft 31 by reasonof the cam becoming displaced thereon when the pin or lug 36 rides overthe same. The pin 36 is carried by the shaft 31 but the set spring 37 isnot moved inwardly a sutlicient distance so that. the tooth '-10 on thenose 38 will engage with the dog 55, thereby preventing the throwing ofthe pawl 43 out of the path of the striker arm 2O until thepredetermined hour set for the sounding of the alarm. During the workingof the clock the gear 34 is rotated as usual and simultaneously the cam33 is moved therewith. Now by reason of the contact of the pin 36 withthe cam 33 the gear is longitudinally displaced on the shaft 3l, therebymoving inwardly the spring 37 which causes the engagement of the tooth40 with the dog 53 and on the notch 35 in the cam 33 alining with thepin 3G the said cam will be moved and the spring 37, which has asheretofore stated become retracted, now springs outwardly, and by 'theengagement of the tooth 40 with the dog 53 moves with it the pawl 43 sothat the nose 44 will be shifted out of the path of the striker arm 20,allowing the alarm to be sounded at the predetermined hour a. m.

Assuming that it is desired to have the alarm sound at a predeterminedhour p. m., the crank 59 is shifted in the slot 60 to the p. n1. markand in this manner the pawl 4:3 is thrown inwardly into the path of thestriker arm 20, it being understood of course that the alarm shaft 3lhas been adjusted so that the pointer 32 will be set at the designatedhour on the face of the dial 30 for the sounding of the alarm at theproper hour, the nose 44 of the pawl 43 being projected suiliciently faracross the path of movement of the striker arm 2O so that when the cam33 is tripped on the pin 3G during the first revolution of the cam thetooth 40 will engage the dog 53 and move the pawl Lt3 a limiteddistance,` but will not cause it to be moved sufficiently far so thatthe nose 43 will be thrown out of the path of movement of the strikerarm Q0, thereby preventing the sounding of the alarm on the designatedhour at a. 1n. However, on the second revolution of the cam 33 the tooth3S is brought into engagement with the pawl 53 and when the said cam isagain tripped by the pin 3G on the shaft 31 the spring 37 will furthermove the pawl 43 so that its nose will be shifted out of the path ofmovement of the striker arm 20, thereby freeing the same for thesounding of the alarm at the designated hour at p. m.

When the crank 59 has been shifted in the slot (S0 to Off and the catch61 is engaged therewith, the pawl 43 is moved so that its nose 4l willbe thrown into the path of movement of the striker arm 2O and also thedog 53 will be shifted out of the path of the teeth 39 and 40 on theinturned end of the spring 37, thus, preventing the operation of thealarm controlling mechanism, and the sounding of the alarm cn any hourat a. m. or p. m.

Vlt is understood that the friction member i6 upon the pawl 43 willsustain the same in its adjusted position when shifted by the hand crank5S), the dog 53 being mounted to permit the teeth 39 and 40 to pass thesame when the inturned end of the spring 37 is moved in one direction.

What is claimed is:

1.. In an alarm clock, the combination `with a twelve hour alarmmechanism, of an alarm controlling mechanism comprising a swingingmember mounted to move into and out of the path of the striker of thealarm mechanism, a catch device carried by said member and meanscoperative with the alarm mechanism and adapted to be engaged by saidcatch device and manually operated means for adjusting the position ofthe said member whereby the alarm mechanism will either move the sameonce or twice for retracting it from the path of lthe striker of thealarm mechanism.

2. In an alarm clock, the combination with a twelve hour alarmmechanism, of an alarm controlling mechanism comprising a swingingmember mounted to move into and out of the path of the striker of thealarm mechanism, a catch device carried by said member and meanscooperative with the alarm mechanism and adapted to be engaged by saidcatch device, manually operated means for adjusting the position of thesaid member whereby the alarm mechanism will either move the same onceor twice for retracting it from the path of the striker of the alarmmechanism, and means for locking the said alarm controlling mechanismagainst action and disengaged from the alarm mechanism.

3. In an alarm clock, the combination with a twelve hour alarmymechanism by which the alarm is set and released at a predeterminedtime, of alarm controlling mechanism comprising a step by step movablemeans adapted to be thrown into position for preventing the sounding ofthe alarm, means cooperative with the alarm mechanism for engagementwith said step by step movable means for shifting the same to permit thesounding of the alarm, and means acting upon the first named means toshift the same into position whereby it may be moved a single or twosteps by the second named means.

4. In an alarm clock, the combination with a twelve hour alarm mechanismby which the alarm' is set and released at a predetermined time, ofalarm controlling mechanism comprising a step by step movable meansadapted to be thrown int-o position for preventing the sounding of thealarm, means coperative with the alarm mechanism for engagement withsaid step by step movable means for shifting the same to permit thesounding of the alarm, means acting upon the first named means to shiftthe same into position whereby it may be moved a single or two steps bythe second named means, and means for locking said first named meansagainst movement.

5. In an alarm clock, the combination with a twelve hour alarm mechanismhaving a striker arm, of a swinging pawl pivotally mounted in the clockand movable into and out of the path of the striker arm, a locking dogpivoted to said pawl, means coperative with the alarm mechanism forengagement with the dog whereby the said pawl may be automaticallyshifted out of the path of the striker arm, and means for setting thesaid pawl whereby it may be moved by said first named means forreleasing the striker arm once in either twelve or twenty-four hours.

6. In an alarm clock, the combination with a twelve hour alarm mechanismhaving a striker arm, of a swinging pawl pivotally mounted in the clockand movable into and out of the path of the striker arm, a lockin dogpivoted to said pawl, means eoperative with the alarm mechanism forengagement with the dog whereby the said pawl may be automaticallyshifted out of the path of the striker arm, means for setting the saidpawl whereby it may be moved by said rst named means for releasing thestriker arm once in either twelve or twentyfour hours, and means forlocking the pawl in the path of movement of the striker arm 'forpreventing the sounding of the alarm.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twoWitnesses.

WILLIAM J. BANISH. JACOB C. SWARTHOUT.

Witnesses:

ANDREW K. HANsoN, J AMES W. NIELsoN.

